T NATION | Plateau Busters

Plateau Busters
Shock Training Methods for Increased Size and Strength
by Joel Marion

Most of your are well aware that structural adaptations aren't achieved by simply busting your butt in the gym day in and day out. Sure, that'll work for a while, but even if you continue to put the same effort forth, adaptation will have its way and progress will eventually plateau.

In reality, progression requires a methodical, strategically designed approach to training, along with frequent variation. And while there are many ways to counteract plateaus through the manipulation of training variables and program format, this article will provide you with a few specific methods that can be implemented in most any training block.

The term superset carries a bit of ambiguity due to its constant misuse in bodybuilding circles and articles. So, let's make sure we're all on the same page when talking about the technique.

A superset is the practice of doing an exercise set and then immediately moving into another set of an exercise for the same body part.

If you conduct an exercise for any body part other than the one worked during the previous set, it's not a superset. If you rest — be it one minute, two minutes, whatever — it's not a superset.

Notice the definition doesn't really specify which types of exercises are to be conducted in both the first and second sets; however, there is an optimal way to superset. By conducting a compound exercise first and then moving into an isolation movement for the same muscle group, you ensure maximal microtrauma and fatigue of the primary mover.

When using only compound movements, it's possible that the smaller muscles involved will fatigue before the primary mover (ex: the anterior delts and triceps fatiguing before the pecs during the bench press) and thus the primary mover won't be maximally taxed.

Now, this isn't to say that programs utilizing solely compound movements aren't of value; it just means that periodically superseting such movements with isolation movements is a smart training decision.

So when is superset implementation valuable? Generally speaking, supersets should be used during a growth phase when hypertrophy is the major goal and not during a strength phase.

During a growth phase the goal is to induce extreme amounts of microtrauma, and the use of supersets will help you do this. The major focus of this type of training isn't using maximal loads. During strength training, however, the use of maximal loads is not only desirable, but necessary to fully stimulate the nervous system and to provoke neurological adaptations (the major contributor to increases in strength).

A muscle must be fully recovered in order to use the greatest weight possible for the desired number of reps, and that means rest is of utmost importance. As you can see, supersets don't really fit in here as load and full recovery take a back seat to maximal fatigue and microtrauma.

Eccentric training is based on the principle that you can lower more than you can lift. It's been observed that trainees can handle anywhere from a 20-40% greater load eccentrically than concentrically. With this type of training the bar is lowered under control for 2-4 seconds and is then lifted by a partner (or two) back to the starting position.

Near maximal (90-99% of 1RM), maximal (100%), or supra-maximal (101-140%) loads can be used with eccentric training and it's generally done with 1-6 repetitions per set and 1 to 6 sets per exercise. Obviously, as the load increases, the number of reps per set should be decreased and the number of sets per exercise should be increased to the higher end of the range.

Due to the excessive stress this training technique places on the nervous system, strength coach Charles Poliquin has recommended that athletes have at least two years of training experience under their belt before implementing this method into their workout regimens. Even so, the technique should only be used rarely and for no more than a few weeks at a time.

This type of training works best with upper body, compound movements such as the bench press, dips, pull-ups, etc, and can be used during either a hypertrophy or strength phase. (My favorite time to utilize this technique is when specializing one or more upper body muscles.)

Eccentric training heavily taxes the nervous system and can also potentially induce large amounts of microtrauma if the intensity is kept toward the lower end of the spectrum (around 90%), the volume moderate to high, and the rest periods short to moderate.

An example of this protocol would be 5 sets of 5-6 reps @ 90% 1RM, with a 4-second eccentric and 1-2 minute rest periods.

The result is a profound increase in both size and strength. If the goal is mainly strength, volume should be reduced, intensity increased, and rest periods lengthened, for example, 5 sets of 1-2 reps @ 100-120% 1RM, with a 4-second eccentric and 3 minute rest periods.

Drop sets are a great way to achieve maximal motor unit activation, muscular fatigue, and intramuscular tension as well as increase the tonnage of a given workout. A drop set is essentially a series of mini sets in which a trainee works to positive failure, quickly reduces the load, works to failure again, quickly reduces the load, works to failure once again, and so on until the desired number of mini sets are completed.

In laymen's terms, they're a ball buster.

The amount of rest between mini sets should only be the time it takes to unload the bar to the next weight; the shorter the rest period, the better. Rest period length may, however, be increased up to 10 seconds when performing drop sets at higher intensities.

It's ideal to have a training partner when utilizing this method as they can help you strip the weight faster. Also, the weight of your next mini set should be achievable by only taking plates off the bar. Having to strip plates and then add plates takes too long, so be sure to set up your bar appropriately. A final way to limit rest is to use machines in which the load can be dropped by a simple pin adjustment.

Drop sets can be effectively implemented during either a growth or strength phase and when conducting compound or isolation movements. Below are a few Charles Poliquin-approved drop set schemes for both hypertrophy and strength training protocols.

Hypertrophy Drop Set Scheme 1

Starting Load- 8RM

• Perform 8 reps

• Drop the weight 10-15% and perform as many reps as possible (probably 3 or 4)

• Drop the weight another 10-15% and perform as many reps as possible (probably 3 or 4)

Rest - 2 minutes

Sets - 3

Hypertrophy Drop Set Scheme 2 (The 6-12-25 Method)

Starting Load- 6RM

• Perform 6 reps

• Drop the weight 20% and perform 12 reps

• Drop the weight another 20-25% and perform 25 reps

Rest - 2 minutes

Sets - 2

Strength Drop Set Scheme 1

Starting Load- 3RM

• Perform 3 reps, rest 10 seconds

• Drop the weight 5%, perform 1 rep, rest 10 seconds

• Drop the weight another 5%, perform 1 rep, rest 10 seconds

Rest - 3 minutes

Sets - 4

Strength Drop Set Scheme 2

Starting Load- 2RM

• Perform 2 reps, rest 10 seconds

• Drop the weight 5%, perform 1 rep, rest 10 seconds

• Drop the weight another 5%, perform 1 rep, rest 10 seconds

Rest - 3 minutes

Sets - 5

Insider contrast training, developed by French sport scientist Gilles Cometti and more recently popularized by Testosterone contributor Christian Thibaudeau (the following examples are insider contrast schemes recommended by Coach Thibaudeau), is a unique method in which a particular training variable is manipulated during the course of a set.

There are two types of insider contrast training that I would like to address: variable load/speed sets and variable tempo sets. Both types are best included in hypertrophy oriented training programs, although they will also yield some nice strength increases.

With this method, the load and concentric contraction speed is varied every rep or every two reps. This works to increase strength, size, and power simultaneously. As with the drop set, weight changes need to be made as fast as possible. It's recommended that you have a partner and/or use machines that can be easily adjusted when utilizing this method.

If you don't train with a partner, it would behoove you to at least find someone at the gym to lend you a hand during your set — you'll really be missing out by going solely with machines and neglecting movements like the bench press, squat, and deadlift.

An example set would look like:

Reps 1 and 2- max effort contraction @ 80% 1RM

Reps 3 and 4- explosive contraction @ 50% 1RM

Reps 5 and 6- max effort contraction @ 80% 1RM

Reps 7 and 8- explosive contraction @ 50% 1RM

You could also switch from max effort contractions @ 80% to explosive contractions @ 50% with every rep.

With variable tempo sets, the load remains constant throughout the set; however, the speed of both the eccentric and concentric contractions change every rep or every two reps. Here's what it looks like:

Load- 75% 1RM

Reps 1 and 2- 604 tempo

Reps 3 and 4- 20X tempo

Reps 5 and 6- 604 tempo

Reps 7 and 8- 20X tempo

Again, you could also switch tempos with every rep.

Before we conclude, I want to briefly address a few other methods that may come to mind when thinking of shock training methods. However, I feel that these methods aren't worth conducting based on logic, rationale and the current research.

Why in the world anyone would fatigue the primary mover in a compound movement with an isolation movement beforehand, I don't know.

The rationale used by proponents of this approach is something I mentioned earlier: with compound movements, it's possible for smaller muscle groups to fatigue first, thus the primary mover isn't fully stimulated or maximally fatigued.

So, this leaves us with the option of either pre-fatiguing the muscle in question or post-fatiguing it with an isolation superset. The obvious choice should be to post-fatigue the muscle with an isolation superset. When pre-fatiguing a muscle, you go into the major movement already fatigued.

Doing so will undoubtedly affect the load used for that exercise. By superseting the compound movement with an isolation movement, you achieve the same thing as you would by pre-fatiguing the muscle — only you don't sacrifice the load used during the big, mass-promoting movement.

This training method has been proven to have no additional benefit over moderate speed, controlled lifting (i.e. 30X tempo), and in fact, performing the concentric contraction of any movement at anything less than as fast as possible (explosive effort), limits the amount of motor units being recruited and the overall effectiveness of that exercise (from both a strength and hypertrophy standpoint).

For more info, check out Chad Waterbury's article here.

Just take a look at the typical person using this approach in the gym and unless you want to look like that guy (150 lbs. soaking wet), steer clear of forced rep training. This method is extremely taxing on the nervous system and is a surefire way to perpetuate overtraining. If you've already reached failure, then either terminate the set or decrease the load and perform more repetitions by yourself (you pansy). Better yet, if you're going to screw with the central nervous system, at least do it productively with a couple weeks of eccentric training.

You're now equipped with a few very effective shock training methods that can be implemented periodically into your training program to dramatically increase size and strength and/or blow past a training plateau. Experiment with some of the techniques and let me know how you do!

Joel Marion, CISSN, NSCA-CPT, and 2001 Body-for-Life Champion is the author of over one-hundred training and nutrition articles for popular health and fitness magazines, both in print and on the Web. Additionally, he's a highly sought after consultant to doctors, lawyers, athletes, and models as well as the average Joe and Jane looking to improve his or her appearance.

His debut book, The Cheat to Lose Diet, published by Random House, Inc is now available at all bookstores and online retailers nationwide. To learn more about Joel visit www.JoelMarion.net and www.CheatToLoseDiet.com.

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